Once you have mastered the basics and built up some experience, there are new areas to move into:
Single Seaters
Your initial pre- and post-solo flying is in two-seater training aircraft. Moving onto single seaters gives you more performance and more time for each flight (as the two seaters are usually heavily allocated each day). As you add hours to your log-book, you can move through the fleet. Usually, you will be flying each type of single seater to build hours to the minimum level for the next class of aircraft.
Aerobatics
Gliders are surprisingly aerobatic so learning how to do loops and chandelles is great fun. It also makes you a better pilot and builds confidence in your ability to handle the aircraft in all situations.
Cross Country Flying
Flying around the airfield is fun but going cross-country is much better fun. By “cross country”, we mean flying out of gliding range of the airfield, often up to hundreds of kilometres away. You’ll learn new skills about learning to read and understand the terrain and weather and safely handle the occasional “outlanding” in a farmer’s paddock. Taking a sailplane long distances using only what Mother Nature provides is deeply satisfying and soaring a truly Green sport.
Competitions
Sailplane competitions involve races over distance and/or against the clock. The Club usually runs 1-2 locally each year and there are events for beginners to champions all over Australia in summer time.
Single Seaters
Your initial pre- and post-solo flying is in two-seater training aircraft. Moving onto single seaters gives you more performance and more time for each flight (as the two seaters are usually heavily allocated each day). As you add hours to your log-book, you can move through the fleet. Usually, you will be flying each type of single seater to build hours to the minimum level for the next class of aircraft.
Aerobatics
Gliders are surprisingly aerobatic so learning how to do loops and chandelles is great fun. It also makes you a better pilot and builds confidence in your ability to handle the aircraft in all situations.
Cross Country Flying
Flying around the airfield is fun but going cross-country is much better fun. By “cross country”, we mean flying out of gliding range of the airfield, often up to hundreds of kilometres away. You’ll learn new skills about learning to read and understand the terrain and weather and safely handle the occasional “outlanding” in a farmer’s paddock. Taking a sailplane long distances using only what Mother Nature provides is deeply satisfying and soaring a truly Green sport.
Competitions
Sailplane competitions involve races over distance and/or against the clock. The Club usually runs 1-2 locally each year and there are events for beginners to champions all over Australia in summer time.